Harish Rawat formally inaugurates Ardhakumbh mela, lashes at Centre for not allocating funds

HARIDWAR: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today formally inaugurated the four-month Ardhakumbh mela at Har Ki Pauri here, and lashed out at the Centre for "not releasing" funds for the event.

Rawat presided over a ceremony to mark the formal opening of this year's mela, which began on January 1, and made offerings in the presence of eminent seers.

The Chief Minister lashed out at the Centre for "not releasing" funds to the state government for organising it.

However, he assured the devotees gathered here from across the country of a "trouble-free and cherishable" Ardhakumbh experience.

"Despite an attitude of utter neglect on the part of the Centre which has not released funds for the event so far, we have made all necessary arrangements for devotees out of our own limited resources and I can assure pilgrims coming to Haridwar from across the country and abroad that they will have a trouble-free and cherishable Ardhakumbh experience," Rawat said.

In September last year, Rawat had sought a special assistance of Rs 500 crore from the Centre for the safe conduct of Ardhakumbh mela.

Rawat has written several letters to the Centre and even met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking a one-time assistance of Rs 500 crore to carry out Ardhakumbh-related works of both temporary and permanent nature.

A number of saints and seers including Paramarth Niketan Chief Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Mahanths of different akharas and Mahmandaleshwars took part in several ceremonies.